I was in the roar room, working on an exercise, when I realized that Dr. Landers wasn’t alone. He always stood at the window, watching and talking, and it took a few monts to realize that the steady stream of comntary had stopped.
I directed one of the roars to give a video feed. Dr. Landers was talking to soone that I would have sworn was Minister Travis’s brother. Seriously, did they have that look listed in the job requirents? MUST LOOK LIKE SCARY GUY FROM POLTERGEIST 2. Jeez.
Dr. Landers had turned off the intercom system, but that represented about three milliseconds worth of inconvenience. Amateur.
I directed a roar to move to the wall imdiately below the window. By pressing its body against the wall, it was able to pick up transmitted vibrations. I had to crank the gain way up, but I had all the audio filtering tricks that two centuries of electronic dia had developed.
“This is the work of the Devil. You are placing your immortal soul in jeopardy by participating in this enterprise.”
“The Ministry of Truth advised otherwise.”
“These are poor imitations of God’s Creation. They mock humanity with their false display of intelligence and emotion.”
“The Ministry of Truth is of the opinion that, while they are without a soul, they are rely based on God’s creation and not an attempt to usurp His authority.”
The air grew montarily brittle with that silence you get when soone is glaring. I stole a glance using one of the roars on the table. Yep. Glaring.
“This unholy activity can have no good end. Especially considering the purpose—”
“—Which is officially sanctioned by the Ministry—”
“—Apostates! Heretics!”
Another quick glance verified that Dr. Landers was trying very hard not to roll his eyes. I took a mont to wish I had the option. This guy was seriously whack-a-doodle.
The barrage continued for several minutes. The minister alternately berated and threatened Dr. Landers, who remained carefully non-confrontational and showed a lot more patience than I could ever have. If Minister Loudmouth had been on this side of the window, I think I’d have tried to disassemble him.
I managed to remain objective and treat the running stream of vitriol as information rather than a condemnation of my very existence. It would seem that I was either a product of witchcraft or a result of hubris not seen since the days of Babel.
Dr. Landers took it for a few monts longer, then snapped. Sort of.
“Minister Jacoby, I understand your opinions and concerns. By which I an only that I comprehend what you are saying. However, the Ministry of Truth is not only supporting but actively funding this endeavor. It seems to , since we’re talking about blasphemous acts, that by opposing this activity, you are opposing the Ministry. And as they point out—in fact, as you yourself have pointed out twice—FAITH is the direct, revealed Word of God. Doesn’t that make your opposition an instance of blasphemy?”
There was a mont of indignant silence as Minister Loudmouth, looking like a fish desperately struggling to breathe, tried to de-hoist himself from his own petard.
“You have chosen the wrong friends, doctor. You will learnthat soon enough.”
And with that, he turned and flounced out, stage right. Yes, flounced. Honestly.
Dr. Landers leaned on the wall for a few monts with his eyes closed, breathing deeply. Then he turned to the window and played with his tablet for a mont.
“All done, Bob?”
I wasn’t going to play that ga. “Who the freaking hell was that? And don’t tell ‘Minister Jacoby.’ ”
The doctor rubbed his forehead. “Just an example of so of the extre viewpoints we have to navigate in this great nation. Bob, if he had any real power, he non’t, er, wouldn’t have been trying to browbeat into line. I wouldn’t give his threats any extra credence.”
Which is not the sa as saying you wouldn’t give his threats any credence at all.
“And I will note for the future,” the doctor said with a smile, “that turning off the intercom doesn’t appear to deter you at all. Shall we continue?”
He pointed at the semi-assembled ss on the lab table, and I got back to work.
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